Conveyor system for rod-like articles

ABSTRACT

A conveyor system for transporting cigarettes between a making machine and a packing machine includes a mass flow conveyor ( 204 ) for transporting cigarettes directly and a reservoir system ( 212 ) in which successive batches of cigarettes comprising portions of the stream on an input conveyor ( 204 ) are diverted when required into compartmented containers ( 224 ). Transfer to the containers is made by way of a plunger ( 232 ) and shuttle ( 234 ) arrangement which allows the stream to move continuously during transfer of a batch. Unloading containers to reform a continuous stream may involve use of a similar plunger and shuttle arrangement so that the reformed stream can move continuously on an output conveyor ( 218 ). The input and output conveyors ( 204, 218 ) may be provided with retractable spaced partitions to bound the ends of batches of cigarettes transferred from or to the respective conveyor.

This invention relates to a conveyor system for rod-like articles,particularly articles of the tobacco industry such as cigarettes orfilter rods.

In the manufacture of articles of the tobacco industry it is common totransport the articles directly from a delivery device such as aproducing machine to a receiving device such as a packing machine, withthe articles being conveyed in the form of a continuous multi-layerstream of articles moving in a direction transverse to the lengths ofthe articles. Typically such streams are 90-100 mm in height. It isknown to provide a conveyor system for such articles which incorporate abuffer reservoir facility for accommodating temporary or longer termdifferences in the rates of operation of the delivery and receivingdevices. Known buffer reservoirs providing this facility may incorporatevariable length conveyors for storing directly a stream of articles inmulti-layer stack formation and/or means for loading (and unloading)articles in containers.

According to a first aspect of the invention a conveyor system forrod-like articles, particularly for conveying articles between aproducing device and a receiving device, includes conveyor means forconveying a stream of articles in multi-layer stack formation in adirection transverse to their lengths, and means for transferringbatches comprising portions of the stream between the conveyor means anda transfer position by movement of the articles in a direction parallelto the lengths of the articles, wherein said transferring means isarranged so that at least in the region of said conveyor means thearticles being transferred continue to move in said transversedirection. Transfer may be from the conveyor means, e.g. into astationary container at the transfer position, or from the transferposition (e.g. from a stationary container) to the conveyor means. In apreferred arrangement for transfer from the conveyor means thetransferred batch of articles continues to travel at the rate of saidconveyor means for such distance as is required to allow said conveyormeans to move continuously at a predetermined rate. Subsequently saidbatch may be slowed for transfer into a stationary container.

In a preferred arrangement successive batches comprising portions of astream on a substantially horizontal conveyor may be transferred intoone or more containers at a loading station, said batches being definedby partitions inserted into the stream in the same manner as disclosedin British patent specification No. 1404141. The batches may betransferred by means of a pusher which moves with the conveyor as wellas across it and they may be received in a shuttle or other device whichinitially moves with the conveyor but subsequently slows to deliver theportions into a stationary container. The shuttle may be reciprocated totransfer successive batches.

British patent specification No. 1404141 discloses a container bufferreservoir system for use between a cigarette making machine and acigarette packing machine. In this system batches of cigarettes inmulti-layer stack formation are transferred between an endless bandconveyor and a compartmented container (and vice versa) by action ofpusher means which moves the batches in a direction parallel to thelengths of the articles. By contrast with the present invention,transfer takes place without movement of the articles in a directiontransverse to their lengths.

According to a further aspect of the invention a conveyor system forrod-like articles, particularly for conveying articles between aproducing device and a receiving device, includes means defining aconveying path for articles in multi-layer stack formation moving in adirection transverse to their lengths, transfer means for transferringsuccessive batches of said stream from said path at a transfer position,first partition means including spaced first partitions for bounding therespective leading and trailing ends of successive batches delivered onsaid path to said transfer position, second partition means including atleast one second partition for bounding the trailing end of a stream ofarticles on said path downstream of said transfer position, and meansfor moving said first and second partitions at different rates, whereby,following transfer of a batch at said transfer position to leave a gapin said path between a first partition at the leading end of a streamextending on said path upstream of said transfer position and a secondpartition at the trailing end of a stream extending on said pathdownstream of said transfer position, said respective first and secondpartitions may be brought together so that a continuous stream ofarticles may be reformed on said path by withdrawal of said partitionsafter they have been moved into mutually adjacent positions, therebyclosing said gap.

According to a still further aspect of the invention a conveyor systemfor rod-like articles, particularly for conveying articles between aproducing device and a receiving device, includes conveyor means forconveying a stream of articles in multi-layer stack formation in adirection transverse to the lengths of the articles, means for loadingarticles into containers, means for unloading articles from containersand for delivering said articles to said conveyor means, wherein saiddelivering means includes means for transferring articles in a directionparallel to their lengths while conveying them also in a directiontransverse to their lengths, so that said conveyor means may operatecontinuously. This transfer of batches of cigarettes from a containermay be by way of a shuttle or the like, in a manner similar to thatproposed for transfer of batches to containers.

In British patent specification No. 2296000 there is disclosed acigarette making and packing system in which successive leading portionsof a mass flow stream delivered from a making machine are loaded intoone or more containers which are subsequently unloaded for recombinationinto a mass flow stream conveyed to the packing machine. The presentapplication discloses apparatus similar to that disclosed in FIG. 5 ofsaid specification in a system including a direct mass flow path betweena making machine and a packing machine, i.e. where only some of thearticles are loaded into containers.

Known buffer reservoirs include those of the so-called first-infirst-out types where the first articles (or group of articles) whichenter the reservoir are the first to leave. Examples of such reservoirsare disclosed in British patent specification No. 1301843 and Europeanpatent specification No. 581143A. These examples relate to reservoirsfor continuous streams of rod-like articles: examples of such reservoirsfor articles in containers are disclosed in British patent specificationNo. 2296000.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,996 (corresponding to EP 208190A) discloses aconveyor system for conveying cigarettes at least in part in multi-layerstack formation between an inlet and a packing machine, the systemincluding alternative paths for the cigarettes consisting of a normal ormain L-shaped conveying path and a path through a storage device havingchannels arranged in a zig-zag configuration.

According to another aspect of the invention a conveyor system forrod-like articles comprises a delivery device, a receiving device, andconveyor means defining first and second paths extending between thedelivery device and the receiving device and on which streams of saidarticles are conveyed in multi-layer stack formation, said first pathbeing relatively direct and said second path extending through avariable capacity first-in first-out buffer reservoir for said articles.Preferably the first and second paths include common portions upstreamand downstream of first and second junctions at which said pathsrespectively diverge and converge. The second path preferably includes aportion leading to an inlet to and a portion leading from an exit fromthe reservoir. Said first and second junctions may conveniently compriseT-junctions.

The reservoir may conveniently be of the type disclosed in said Britishpatent specification No. 1301843 or in FIGS. 6 and 7 of said Britishpatent specification No. 2296000. Basically these reservoirs comprise areservoir conveyor extending around laterally spaced guides in agenerally helical path. the spacing of the guides being variable to varythe capacity of the reservoir. Alternatively, the reservoir may comprisea container reservoir.

In a preferred mode of operating the conveyor system, with the speeds ofthe delivery and receiving devices matched, the articles are transferredbetween the devices on the first relatively direct path. When there is amismatch between the speeds of the delivery and receiving devicesarticles are delivered to or received from the reservoir by way of thesecond path. A small flow of articles may be arranged to pass along thesecond path at all times, thereby avoiding occupation of any articles inthe reservoir for an excessive period of time. Alternatively, oradditionally, the conveyor means of the second path (including thereservoir) may be periodically deliberately run (irrespective of theneed to do this according to the speeds of the delivery and receivingdevices) in order to ensure that no articles remain in the reservoir (orelsewhere on the second path) for an excessive period.

The invention will be further described, by way of example only, withreference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a conveyor system for rod-like articles,

FIG. 2 is a side view of the system of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another conveyor system for rod-likearticles,

FIG. 4 is a side view of a container of the system of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the system of FIG. 3,

FIG. 6 is a side view of the system of FIG. 3,

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a further conveyor system for rod-likearticles,

FIG. 8 is a side view of the system of FIG. 7,

FIG. 9 is an enlarged side view of part of the system of FIG. 7,

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of part of another conveyor system forrod-like articles,

FIG. 11 is a side view of the system of FIG. 10,

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the system of FIG. 10,

FIG. 13 is an end view of the system of FIG. 10,

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of part of another conveyor system forrod-like articles,

FIG. 15 is a side view of the system of FIG. 14,

FIG. 16 is a plan view of the system of FIG. 14,

FIG. 17 is an end view of the system of FIG. 14,

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of part of yet another conveyor system forrod-like articles,

FIG. 19 is a side view of the system of FIG. 18,

FIG. 20 is a plan view of the system of FIG. 18,

FIG. 21 is an end view of the system of FIG. 18, and

FIG. 22 is a side view of yet another conveyor system for rod-likearticles.

The conveyor system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 extends between a cigarettemaking machine 200 and a cigarette packing machine 202. A mass flowconveyor 204, which includes an elevator 206, extends between themachines 200 and 202 and conveys a continuous stream of cigarettes inmulti-layer stack formation. A container loading unit 208 is locatedadjacent to the conveyor 204 and serves to load cigarettes from theconveyor 204 into containers (such as those shown in FIG. 4) whenrequired. Containers carrying cigarettes are transported from theloading unit 208 towards a container unloading unit 210 by means of acontainer transport unit 212. Cigarettes unloaded from containers at theunloading unit 210 are reformed into a continuous mass flow stream on aconveyor 214 which extends to a junction 216 with the conveyor 204 atthe top of the elevator 206. The conveyor 214 includes an elevator 218and a portion 220 having an S-shape in plan.

The form of the loading unit 208 and unloading unit 210 may be similarto that disclosed in British patent specification No. 1404141, to whichreference is directed for details. Thus, compared with that system, thesystem shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the present application differs in thatnot all of the cigarettes flowing from the making machine 200 are loadedinto containers, although that mode of operation would be possible andfor such purpose a closable gate 215 is provided to extend across thetop of the elevator 206 at the junction 216.

As indicated diagrammatically in the drawing, the loading unit 208receives batches of cigarettes directly from the conveyor 204.Alternatively, the loading unit 208 could operate from a conveyor 222which branches from the main conveyor 204. In this way it would not benecessary to insert dividers of the type disclosed in said specificationNo. 1404141 into the stream of cigarettes on the main. conveyor 204.

Operation of the system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is similar to that of thesystem, of FIG. 5 of said British patent specification No. 2296000except that generally the majority of cigarettes produced by the makingmachine 200 pass directly to the packing machine 202 by way of thedirect path along conveyor 204. Cigarettes are only loaded intocontainers at the loading unit 208 when the production of the makingmachine 200 exceeds the requirements of the packing machine 202.Similarly, cigarettes are unloaded from containers at the unloading unit210 when the requirements of the packing machine 202 exceed theproduction at the making machine 200. In addition, the system iscontrolled such that containers are unloaded according to predeterminedrequirements, e.g. in the same order as that in which they are loaded,i.e. so that the transport unit 212 for containers acts as a variablecapacity first-in first-out reservoir. In order to achieve this eachcontainer may carry a programmable tag or other device capable ofrecording time of loading at the unit 208. Thus the unit 208 may includewrite device and the unit 210 a read device to facilitate control asrequired. Furthermore, the system may operate such that containers areautomatically unloaded at the unit 210 a predetermined time afterloading or production: in this way no cigarettes should remain unpackedfor an excessive period.

FIGS. 3-6 show a system having many similarities with that of FIGS. 1-2:similar reference numbers have been used for similar parts. The systemof FIGS. 3-6 can be operated in any of the ways described with referenceto the system of FIGS. 1 and 2.

As shown particularly in FIG. 4, each container 224 comprises fourcompartments 226, each capable of holding a stack of cigarettes havingthe same height as the stream on conveyor 204. Typically eachcompartment 226 may hold about 1250 cigarettes. Each container 224 hasside ledges 228 at its upper comers, from which the containers may besuspended on rails 230 in the transporting unit 212.

When loading of cigarettes is required successive portions of the stream204 are sub-divided by partitions movable with the conveyor (forexample, as described in said specification No. 1404141 or as describedbelow with reference to FIGS. 7-9), each portion having substantiallythe same width as a compartment 226 of a container 224. At the loadingunit 208 a pusher 232 transfers the portion of the stream from betweenthe partitions onto a shuttle 234. The pusher 232 and shuttle 234 moveat the speed of the conveyor 204 during transfer but subsequentlydecelerate so as to have no component of movement in the direction ofconveyor 204 just prior to transfer of the portion of the stream fromthe shuttle and into an adjacent compartment 226 of a container 224 atthe loading unit 208. The shuttle 234 may take any form, e.g. arectangular sleeve, capable of maintaining the formation of the portionof stream during transfer: the shuttle is moved on its path parallel tothe conveyor 204 by a reciprocating drive (not shown). After transfer,the shuttle 234 and pusher 232 return to their original positions totransfer the next portion of the stream on conveyor 204 if required. Atthe same time the container 224 is indexed downwards (or replaced by thenext empty container) so as to be ready to receive the next portion. Theconveyor 204 continues to move during transfer of a portion of thestream to a compartment 226. The pusher 232 moves laterally at the samespeed as conveyor 204 until the portion of the stream has beentransferred from the conveyor and onto the shuttle 234. Consequently thepath of the pusher 232 as seen in FIG. 5 is at an angle to the conveyor204 and its start position is initially upstream of the position of thereceiving container 224. The return path of the pusher 232 avoids thepath of the conveyor 204 (e.g. by passing over the top of the advancingstream of cigarettes on the conveyor). Successive full containers 224are conveyed along a lower pair of rails 230 of the container transportunit 212 towards the unloading unit 210. Empty containers 224 forfilling at the loading unit 208 are delivered along an upper pair ofrails 230 and indexed downwards at the unit 208.

Unloading of containers 224 at the unloading unit 210 is a reversal ofloading. A container 224 is elevated intermittently to bringcompartments 226 to a position in alignment with a horizontal portion ofthe conveyor 214 and a pusher 236 transfers the portion of cigarettes ina compartment onto the conveyor between upstanding partitions. Duringtransfer the conveyor 214 may be stationary, so that it is movedintermittently to receive successive portions from successivecompartments 226, or alternatively a shuttle (not shown) may be providedin a manner similar to that provided at the loading unit 208, so thatsuccessive portions may be transferred from a container 224 to acontinuously moving conveyor 214. In either case the partitions areprogressively withdrawn after transfer so as to reform a continuousstream on the conveyor 214, as described in said specification No.1404141. After a container 224 has been unloaded at the unit 210 it isreceived on the upper pair of rails 230 and advanced back towards theloading unit 208 The transport unit 212 includes conveyor means foradvancing containers 224 along the rails 230 or in any other convenientmanner and for lowering containers at the loading unit 208 and forelevating containers at the unloading unit 210: these are notillustrated in the drawings but may be similar to conventional traytransport means already known in the cigarette industry.

As with the system of FIGS. 1 and 2, the system may be operated in suchmanner that all the product of the making machine 200 is loaded intocontainers 224 for transfer to the packing machine 202 by way of theunloading unit 210 and conveyor 214. For this purpose a gate similar tothat disclosed in British patent specification No. 2157253, to whichreference is directed for details, may be provided at the junction 216.

Irrespective of whether all or part of the stream of cigarettes onconveyor 204 is loaded into containers 224 the containers 224 in thetransport unit 212 create a first-in first-out variable capacitycigarette reservoir. A control system for determining the period ofoccupation of full trays in the reservoir may be provided as describedwith reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

Although it may be preferred to operate the system as self-contained, inwhich case typically there would be up to, say, 25 full containers inthe transporting unit 212, providing a typical reservoir capacity of125,000 cigarettes, it would equally be possible to add or remove fullor empty containers from the unit 212, e.g. by additional transfer units(not shown) at the respective ends of the paths on the rails 230.

The system shown in FIGS. 7-9 is basically similar to that shown inFIGS. 3-6: again similar reference numbers have been used for similarparts. This system may be operated in the same way as that of FIGS. 1and 2 and FIGS. 3-6.

In FIGS. 7 and 8 two positions 232A, 232B of the pusher 232 are shown,as well as two positions 234A, 234B of the shuttle 234. In addition,partitions 238, which divide the stream on conveyor 204 into portionsfor transfer by the pusher 232 are shown. FIG. 9 shows diagrammaticallya first partition conveyor 204A extending from the region of a stackformer 240 at the making machine 200 and carrying spaced partitions238A, 238B and 238C. When it is required to load portions of cigarettesinto containers at the loading unit 208 the partitions 238 are raised totheir extended positions as shown in FIG. 9 to separate the stream intoportions: at other times the partitions are not raised above the surfaceof conveyor 204, so that a continuous stream of cigarettes is maintainedon the conveyor. During loading at the unit 208 portions of the streamon conveyor 204 are transferred so as to leave gaps between successivepartitions 238, i.e. so that in FIG. 9 there would be no cigarettesbetween the partitions 238B and 238C. During loading the trailing end ofthe stream of cigarettes on the downstream part of conveyor 204 (whichis stationary) is bounded by a partition 238D carried by the conveyor204B. After transfer of one or more portions of the stream into acontainer at the loading unit 208 and when it is required to ceaseloading portions of the stream and to reform a continuous stream on theconveyor 204 the leading end of the stream on conveyor 204A, bounded bythe partition 238C, is advanced towards the trailing end of the streamof the conveyor on the downstream part of conveyor 204, which is boundedby partition 238D until the partitions 238C and 238D are substantiallyadjacent, after which the partition 238C is progressively retractedfollowed by the partition 238D. It will be understood that in order toachieve this condition at the start of each loading operation apartition corresponding to the partition 238D carried by the conveyor204B must always be inserted into the stream alongside a partitioncarried by the conveyor 204A and bounding the leading end of the firstportion of the stream to be loaded. Subsequently the conveyor 204B andremainder of conveyor 204 downstream of the loading unit 208 remainsstationary until loading has ceased and it is required to reform acontinuous stream on conveyor 204 as described.

It will be understood that loading of portions of the stream 204 whileallowing the upstream part of conveyor 204 to continue to move avoidsthe need for a separate buffer reservoir to absorb cigarettes producedby the making machine 200 while the conveyor 204 would otherwise bestationary. In practice it may be necessary in any event to provide asmall buffer reservoir to accommodate cigarettes produced during theperiod that the making machine 200 continues to operate if the packingmachine 202 fails immediately after partitions 238 carried by theconveyor 204 have passed the loading unit 208. The maximum necessarycapacity for such a buffer reservoir would be the number of cigarettesin a compartment 226. This buffer reservoir may be provided in adownstream portion of the conveyor 204, e.g. adjacent the packing.machine 202.

It is similarly an advantage to provide a shuttle at the unloading unit210. In this case, however, there may need to be an additional pusher236A to transfer the batch of cigarettes from the shuttle onto theconveyor 214. The reason for this is that the pusher 236 cannot passthrough the container 224 at the unloading unit 210 and continue to movein the direction of movement of the conveyor 214. The additional pusher236A may, for example, be operated from overhead.

FIGS. 10-13 show in more detail an arrangement which achieves movementsof the pusher 232, shuttle 234 and partitions 238 in a system similar tothat of FIGS. 7-9. The shuttle 234 and pusher 232 are connected to acarriage 300 movable on linear guides 302 in a direction parallel topartition conveyor 204 under the action of a drive 304 operating arecirculating ball screw 306. The pusher 232 is advanced relative to thecarriage 300 to push a portion of the stream on conveyor 204 into theshuttle 234 and then into the container 224 by action of a similar drive308. After operation of the drive 308 to push a portion into a container224 a further drive 310 is provided to lift the pusher 232 so that itclears the advancing stream 312 on conveyor 204 during its returnstroke.

The conveyor 204 includes partitions 238 which are lifted by a liftingunit 314 and lowered by a lowering unit 316. A rail 315 maintains thepartitions 238 in their raised positions through the loading position208. Beyond the loading position 208 is a further drive unit 318including stop plates 320, 322 which can be inserted in a stream on theconveyor 204 from above. The plate 320 is movable parallel to conveyor204 by means of a linear drive 320A and is movable from an upperposition in which the plate is above the level of a stream of cigaretteson conveyor 204 to a lower position in which it is inserted in thestream by means of a further drive 320B. The plate 322 is similarlymovable by a linear drive 322A and a further drive 322B.

Following initiation of a loading cycle the plate 320 is inserted eitherimmediately adjacent to the leading partition 238 on the conveyor 204 orso that it follows the lowering profile of the leading partition 238, asdetermined by the lowering unit 316. The plate 320 then bounds thetrailing edge of the stream after the leading partition 238 has beenlowered. During the period when the plate 320 follows the path of theleading partition 238 on the conveyor 204 it is advanced in thedirection of the conveyor by the drive 320A and is lowered by the drive320B

The stop plates 320 and 322 may be inserted immediately in front of orimmediately behind a partition 238 or, if they are provided with exactlythe same lowering profile as that provided for the partition 238 by thelowering unit 316, they may be aligned with and immediately above thepartition 238. Alternatively, the plates 320, 322 and the partitions 238may comprise relatively laterally-spaced parts so that the plates 320and 322 may be inserted in alignment with a partition 238 and withoutinterference with it. The plates 320,322 could be carried by an overheadpartition conveyor (i.e. somewhat similar to the conveyor 204) insteadof by the linear drive arrangements.

When the requirement for loading portions of the stream into a container224 at the loading station 208 ceases, so that it is required to reforma continuous stream, the plate 322 follows the leading partition 238until it reaches the position of the stationary plate 320, which is justabove a dead plate 324 arranged between the end of conveyor 204 and thebeginning of conveyor 206, at which position both plates 320 and 322 areretracted upwards and conveyance of a continuous stream on the conveyor206 can recommence.

FIGS. 14-17 show an arrangement for reforming a continuous stream ofcigarettes on a conveyor 218A at an unloading unit 210 in a systemsimilar to that shown in FIGS. 7-9. A first pusher 236 is operable bymeans of a drive 340 to cause a batch of cigarettes to be unloaded froma container 224 and moved into a shuttle 342. A second pusher 236Aoperating from overhead is operable to move a batch from the shuttle 342and onto a conveyor 344 carrying partitions 346. A first drive 348 forthe pusher 236A causes it to move in a direction to remove a batch ofcigarettes from the shuttle 342. A second drive 350 causes movement ofthe pusher 236A in a direction parallel to the conveying direction ofthe conveyor 344. A third drive 352 causes the pusher 236A to be loweredinto an operative position and to be raised on its return so as to avoidinterference with operation of the pusher 236 which causes the batchesto be transferred from the container 224 and into the shuttle 342.

A lifting unit 354 is provided for the partitions 346 on conveyor 344,so as to present spaced partitions which are movable with the shuttle342. A lowering unit 356 causes successive partitions to be lowered soas to allow formation of a continuous stream on conveyor 218A.

It will be appreciated that by operation of the shuttle 342 the streamon conveyor 218A may be conveyed continuously. An alternativearrangement, in which the stream is conveyed intermittently at theunloading station 210, but which can still achieve continuous conveyanceof a stream from the conveyor 218A is shown in FIGS. 18-21. Thisarrangement omits the shuttle 342 and second pusher 236A but isotherwise similar to that of FIGS. 14-17.

The conveyor 344 is operated intermittently, so that the pusher 236delivers batches of cigarettes from the container 224 onto the conveyor344 between partitions 346 while the conveyor is stationary. Theconveyor 218A includes a buffer reservoir capacity, provided by movementof the conveyor around a wheel (not shown) around which the conveyorpasses in a manner substantially as disclosed in British patentspecification No. 2263680. By causing the buffer to deliver cigarettesduring periods when the conveyor 344 is stationary and to replenish itscapacity during periods when the conveyor 344 is moving, a continuousstream of cigarettes may be conveyed downstream of conveyor 218A.

Either of the shuttles 234, 342 could be replaced by a partitionconveyor which indexes with and may be driven from the movement of therespective pushers 232 or 236A.

The conveyor system shown in FIG. 22 extends between a cigarette makingmachine 10 and a cigarette packing machine 12 and includes severalunidirectional sections each of which conveys a continuous stream ofcigarettes in multi-layer stack formation. From the making machine 10 ashort lower horizontal conveyor 14 leads to an elevator 16 at the upperend of which an upper horizontal conveyor 18 conveys cigarettes to afirst T-junction 20. A downdrop or chute 22. descends from theT-junction 20 and leads into a first intermediate level horizontalconveyor 24 extending to a second T-junction 26. A further downdrop orchute 28 extends from the T-junction 26 and into the packing machine 12.

At the first T-junction 20 a further upper horizontal conveyor 30 leadsto the inlet or entrance 32 of a variable capacity reservoir 34. Afurther conveyor 38 at the same intermediate level as the conveyor 24extends from the exit 36 of the reservoir 34 to the second T-junction26.

The reservoir 34 is a first-in first-out reservoir of the kind shown inFIGS. 6 and 7 of said British patent specification No. 2296000 or inBritish patent specification No. 1301843, to which reference is directedfor details. In essence, the reservoir 34 comprises a variable length ofconveyor extending between the entrance 32 and the exit 36. Thereservoir 34 could be replaced by other forms of variable capacityfirst-in first-out reservoirs capable of receiving a multi-layer streamof articles at an entrance and delivering a multi-layer stream ofarticles at an exit. Such reservoirs need not maintain the stream at asubstantially constant height (as, preferably, does the reservoir 34).Moreover, the stream need not be continuous in such alternativereservoirs: for example, the reservoir 34 could be replaced by thetransport unit 212 for containers as disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 2. Any ofthese alternative reservoirs may be operated in substantially the sameway as the reservoir 34, as hereinafter described.

In normal operation, when the speeds of the making machine 10 and thepacking machine 12 are matched, cigarettes flow along the path definedby conveyors 14-28. If the speed of the making machine 10 exceeds thatof the packing machine 12, cigarettes also flow along conveyor 30 withthe reservoir 34 expanding to accept additional cigarettes. Similarly,if the speed of the packing machine 12 exceeds that of the makingmachine 10, cigarettes flow from the reservoir 34 by way of conveyor 38to the second T-junction 26 to supplement flow from the making machinearriving via the conveyor 24, and the reservoir correspondinglycontracts. It will be understood that the speeds of the variousconveyors is controlled electronically, in particular using speedsensors for the making machine 10 and packing machine 12 and cigarettelevel detectors at the T-junctions 20 and 26: control of conveyors inthis manner is well-known in the cigarette industry and need not befurther described here.

Where the speeds of the making machine 10 and the packing machine 12 arematched it is theoretically possible for cigarettes to remain in thereservoir 34 for an extended period of time. In order to avoid this,which in extreme circumstances could lead to cigarettes of inferiorquality being delivered to the packing machine 12, the system may bearranged so that there is generally a slight trickle of cigarettesthrough a reservoir 34, i.e. even when the reservoir 34 would otherwisebe stationary or even expanding a small flow of cigarettes. is takenfrom the exit 36 (with a corresponding inflow at the inlet 32).Alternatively or additionally, the flow of cigarettes to the reservoir34 may be controlled based on elapsed time. Thus. the reservoir 34 maybe emptied periodically, so that no cigarette may remain in thereservoir for a period exceeding a predetermined maximum time, or themaximum time any cigarette can have been in the reservoir may beactively monitored (which may readily be achieved by detecting andrecording conveyor speeds) and emptying of the reservoir 34 controlledso as to ensure that no cigarette remains in the reservoir for longerthan a predetermined maximum time. Typically the maximum time forcigarettes to remain in the reservoir 34 might be set at 2 hours. Forfurther details of controlling a reservoir so as to avoid occupation ofcigarettes beyond a predetermined maximum time, reference is directed tosaid British patent specification No. 2296000.

Although in a preferred mode of operation the majority of cigarettespass from the making machine 10 to the packing machine 12 by way of thepath including downdrop 22 and horizontal conveyor 24, it is possible toroute all of the cigarettes through the reservoir 34. This could beachieved by stopping flow on the conveyor 24 and, preferably, inaddition providing a gate or other closure device for the downdrop 22 atthe junction 20. Such a gate or closure device may be substantially inthe form disclosed in British patent specification No. 2157253 to whichreference is directed for details.

What is claimed is:
 1. A conveyor system for rod-like articles,particularly for conveying articles between a producing device and areceiving device, includes conveyor means for conveying a stream ofarticles in a multi-layer stack formation in a direction transverse totheir lengths, and means for transferring batches comprising portions ofthe stream between the conveyor means and a transfer position bymovement of the articles in a direction parallel to the lengths of thearticles, wherein said transferring means is arranged so that at leastin the region of said conveyor means the articles continue to move insaid transverse direction as they are being transferred by saidtransferring means.
 2. A conveyor system as claimed in claim 1,including means for moving said transferring means at the same speed asand in the same direction as said conveyor means.
 3. A conveyor systemas claimed in claim 1, including means for receiving a batch betweensaid conveyor means and said transfer position, and wherein thetransferring means includes a first pusher for transferring a batch fromthe transfer position to said receiving means and a second pusher fortransferring said batch from the receiving means to said conveyor means.4. A conveyor system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the batches aredefined by spaced partitions carried by said conveyor means.
 5. Aconveyor system for rod-like articles, particularly for conveyingarticles between a producing device and a receiving device, includesconveyor means for conveying a stream of articles in a multi-layer stackformation in a direction transverse to their lengths, and means fortransferring batches comprising portions of the stream between theconveyor means and a transfer position by movement of the articles in adirection parallel to the lengths of the articles, wherein saidtransferring means is arranged so that at least in the region of saidconveyor means the articles being transferred move in said transversedirection, and including means for receiving a batch between saidconveyor means and said transfer position, and means for cyclicallymoving said receiving means so that in a first part of said cycle itmoves at a speed matched to that of the conveyor means for transfer ofsaid batch from the conveyor means, and in a second part of said cycleit moves at a different speed.
 6. A conveyor system as claimed in claim5, wherein said receiving means is arranged to transfer a batch betweensaid conveyor means and a stationary container at said transferposition, said receiving means being decelerated to a stationaryposition between said first and second parts of said cycle.
 7. Aconveyor system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the receiving means islinearly reciprocable along a path which is parallel to a path of thestream on said conveyor means.
 8. A conveyor system as claimed in claim5, wherein the transferring means is movable with said receiving meansby said moving means.
 9. A conveyor system as claimed in claim 8,wherein the transferring means comprises a pusher which is operable totransfer a batch from the conveyor means and into the receiving means,and is further operable to transfer the batch from the receiving means.10. A conveyor system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the transferringmeans has a forward and return stroke, including means for moving thetransferring means on said return stroke along a different path from thepath it follows on the forward stroke.
 11. A conveyor system forrod-like articles, particularly for conveying articles between aproducing device and a receiving device, includes conveyor means forconveying a stream of articles in a multi-layer stack formation in adirection transverse to their lengths, and means for transferringbatches comprising portions of the stream between the conveyor means anda transfer position by movement of the articles in a direction parallelto the lengths of the articles, wherein said transferring means isarranged so that at least in the region of said conveyor means thearticles being transferred move in said transverse direction, whereinthe batches are defined by spaced partitions carried by said conveyormeans, and including further partition means movable with said stream,and means for moving said further partition means on a path having afirst part in which said further partition means moves in synchronismwith one of said spaced partitions of said conveyor means and a secondpart in which said further partition means moves at a different ratedownstream of said conveyor means, said further partition means beingcapable of bounding the trailing end of the stream of articlesdownstream of said conveyor means.
 12. A conveyor system as claimed inclaim 11, wherein said further partition means includes first and secondindependently movable partitions, and means for progressively insertingsaid partitions into a stream of articles on said conveyor means.
 13. Aconveyor system for rod-like articles, particularly for conveyingarticles between a producing device and a receiving device, includingconveyor means for conveying a stream of articles in multi-layer stackformation in a direction transverse to the lengths of the articles,means for loading articles into containers, means for unloading articlesfrom containers and for delivering said articles to said conveyor means,wherein said delivering means includes means for transferring articlesin a direction parallel to their lengths while conveying them also in adirection transverse to their lengths, so that said conveyor means mayoperate continuously.
 14. A conveyor system for rod-like articles,particularly for conveying articles between a producing device and areceiving device, including conveyor means for conveying a stream ofarticles in multi-layer stack formation in a direction transverse to thelengths of the articles, means for loading articles into containers,means for unloading articles from containers and for delivering saidarticles to said conveyor means, wherein said delivering means includesmeans for transferring articles in a direction parallel to their lengthswhile conveying them also in a direction transverse to their lengths, sothat said conveyor means may operate continuously, and includingreceiving means for receiving a batch of articles from a container, andmeans for linearly reciprocating said receiving means between astationary position at which it receives the batch and a moving positionat which it transfers the batch at the speed of the conveyor means. 15.A conveyor system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the transferring meansincludes pusher means for transferring the articles to said conveyormeans, including means for moving said pusher means in the direction ofsaid conveyor means.
 16. A conveyor system as claimed in claim 15,wherein said receiving means and pusher means are moved together by saidlinearly reciprocating means.
 17. A conveyor system as claimed in claim15, wherein said transferring means includes further pusher means fortransferring a batch of articles from a container to said receivingmeans.
 18. A conveyor system for rod-like articles, particularly forconveying articles between a producing device and a receiving device,including means defining a conveying path for articles in multi-layerstack formation moving in a direction transverse to their lengths,transfer means for transferring successive batches of said stream fromsaid path at a transfer position, first partition means including spacedfirst partitions for bounding the respective leading and trailing endsof successive batches delivered on said path to said transfer position,second partition means including at least one second partition forbounding the trailing end of a stream of articles on said pathdownstream of said transfer position, and means for moving said firstand second partitions at different rates, whereby, following transfer ofa batch at said transfer position to leave a gap in said path between afirst partition at the leading end of a stream extending on said pathupstream of said transfer position and a second partition at thetrailing end of a stream extending on said path downstream of saidtransfer position, said respective first and second partitions may bebrought together so that a continuous stream of articles may be reformedon said path by withdrawal of said partitions after they have been movedinto mutually adjacent positions thereby closing said gap.
 19. Aconveyor system as claimed in claim 18, wherein said first partitionsare carried by a first conveyor for moving said stream along said path,said partitions being insertable in the stream on said conveyor in afirst direction.
 20. A conveyor system as claimed in claim 19, includingmeans for moving said at least one second partition along a portion ofsaid path defined by said conveyor means, and for inserting said atleast one second partition into said stream from a second directionwhich is substantially opposite said first direction.
 21. A conveyorsystem as claimed in claim 20, wherein said conveyor means and saidmoving means are arranged so that first and second partitions are movedin synchronism in substantially adjacent positions over a portion ofsaid path downstream of said transfer position.
 22. A conveyor system asclaimed in claim 20, wherein said moving means is arranged to bring saidsecond partition to a stationary position in a portion of said pathimmediately downstream of said conveyor means.
 23. A conveyor system asclaimed in claim 18, including at least two second partitions movableindependently so that one of said second partitions may be bounding thetrailing end of a stream of articles on said path downstream of saidtransfer position and another of said second partitions may be movablewith a first partition so as to bound the leading end of a stream ofarticles on said path downstream of the transfer position.